CVE-2019-16746: Buffer Overflow

Published Sep 11, 2019
·
Updated

A flaw in the Linux kernel's WiFi beacon validation code was discovered. The code does not check the length of the variable length elements in the beacon head potentially leading to a buffer overflow. System availability, as well as data confidentiality and integrity, can be impacted by this vulnerability.

Other sources

An issue was discovered in net/wireless/nl80211.c in the Linux kernel through 5.2.17. It does not check the length of variable elements in a beacon head, leading to a buffer overflow.

— Ubuntu

An issue was discovered in the Linux kernels wifi beacon validation code. The parser does not check the length of variable length elements in the beacon head. This could lead to a buffer overflow in code that relies on these values being within the specification.

Reference: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=f88eb7c0d002a67ef31aeb7850b42ff69abc46dc

— Red Hat

In multiple methods, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check during initial processing of a beacon packet. This could lead to local information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.

— OSV

Linux Kernel is vulnerable to a buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking by missing check of the length of variable elements in a beacon head by the net/wireless/nl80211.c. By persuading a victim to open a specially-crafted file, a remote attacker could overflow a buffer and execute arbitrary code on the system or cause the system to crash.

— IBM

Affected Software

69 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/kernel-rt<0:3.10.0-1127.rt56.1093.el7
0:3.10.0-1127.rt56.1093.el7
redhat/kernel<0:3.10.0-1127.el7
0:3.10.0-1127.el7
redhat/kernel<0:4.18.0-193.el8
0:4.18.0-193.el8
IBM Data Risk Manager<=2.0.6
Linux Linux kernel>=2.6.25<3.16.79
Linux Linux kernel>=3.17<4.4.197
Linux Linux kernel>=4.5<4.9.197
Linux Linux kernel>=4.10<4.14.149
Linux Linux kernel>=4.15<4.19.79
Linux Linux kernel>=4.20<5.3.6
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=19.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=19.10
Fedoraproject Fedora=30
openSUSE Leap=15.1
debian/linux
6.1.176-16.1.190-16.12.107-16.12.113-17.2.12-1
Google Android
android/:linux_kernel:>=:0<:2020-08-05
:2020-08-05
ubuntu/linux-aws<4.4.0-1058.62
4.4.0-1058.62
ubuntu/linux-azure<4.15.0-1064.69~14.04.1
4.15.0-1064.69~14.04.1
ubuntu/linux-lts-xenial<4.4.0-168.197~14.04.1
4.4.0-168.197~14.04.1
ubuntu/linux*
ubuntu/linux<4.4.0-168.197
4.4.0-168.197
ubuntu/linux-aws<4.4.0-1098.109
4.4.0-1098.109
ubuntu/linux-aws-hwe<4.15.0-1056.58~16.04.1
4.15.0-1056.58~16.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure<4.15.0-1064.69
4.15.0-1064.69
ubuntu/linux-gcp<4.15.0-1050.53
4.15.0-1050.53
ubuntu/linux-hwe<4.15.0-72.81~16.04.1
4.15.0-72.81~16.04.1
ubuntu/linux-kvm<4.4.0-1062.69
4.4.0-1062.69
ubuntu/linux-oracle<4.15.0-1030.33~16.04.1
4.15.0-1030.33~16.04.1
ubuntu/linux-raspi2<4.4.0-1125.134
4.4.0-1125.134
ubuntu/linux-snapdragon<4.4.0-1129.137
4.4.0-1129.137
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-fips<4.4.0-1025.30
4.4.0-1025.30
ubuntu/linux-fips*
ubuntu/linux<4.15.0-72.81
4.15.0-72.81
ubuntu/linux-aws<4.15.0-1056.58
4.15.0-1056.58
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0<5.0.0-1022.25~18.04.1
5.0.0-1022.25~18.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure<5.0.0-1027.29~18.04.1
5.0.0-1027.29~18.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gcp<5.0.0-1026.27~18.04.1
5.0.0-1026.27~18.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15<4.15.0-1049.52
4.15.0-1049.52
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.0<5.0.0-1026.27~18.04.2
5.0.0-1026.27~18.04.2
ubuntu/linux-hwe<5.0.0-37.40~18.04.1
5.0.0-37.40~18.04.1
ubuntu/linux-kvm<4.15.0-1051.51
4.15.0-1051.51
ubuntu/linux-oem<4.15.0-1065.75
4.15.0-1065.75
ubuntu/linux-oem-osp1<5.0.0-1030.34
5.0.0-1030.34
ubuntu/linux-oracle<4.15.0-1030.33
4.15.0-1030.33
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0<5.0.0-1008.13~18.04.1
5.0.0-1008.13~18.04.1
ubuntu/linux-raspi2<4.15.0-1052.56
4.15.0-1052.56
ubuntu/linux-snapdragon<4.15.0-1069.76
4.15.0-1069.76
ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-edge*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<4.15.0-2018.18
4.15.0-2018.18
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<4.15.0-2006.7
4.15.0-2006.7
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-raspi2*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-vmware*

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel-rt to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:3.10.0-1127.rt56.1093.el7
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:3.10.0-1127.el7
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:4.18.0-193.el8
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.190-1Fixed in 6.12.107-1Fixed in 6.12.113-1Fixed in 7.2.12-1
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade android/:linux_kernel: to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in :2020-08-05
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-1058.62
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1064.69~14.04.1
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lts-xenial to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-168.197~14.04.1
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-168.197
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-1098.109
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-hwe to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1056.58~16.04.1
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1064.69
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1050.53
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-72.81~16.04.1
  15. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-kvm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-1062.69
  16. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1030.33~16.04.1
  17. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi2 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-1125.134
  18. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-snapdragon to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-1129.137
  19. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.4.0-1025.30
  20. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-72.81
  21. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1056.58
  22. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-1022.25~18.04.1
  23. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-1027.29~18.04.1
  24. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-1026.27~18.04.1
  25. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1049.52
  26. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke-5.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-1026.27~18.04.2
  27. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-37.40~18.04.1
  28. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-kvm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1051.51
  29. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1065.75
  30. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-osp1 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-1030.34
  31. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1030.33
  32. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.0.0-1008.13~18.04.1
  33. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi2 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1052.56
  34. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-snapdragon to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-1069.76
  35. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-2018.18
  36. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.15.0-2006.7

Event History

Sep 11, 2019
CVE Published
12:00 AM
Sep 24, 2019
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·12:00 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:55 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:55 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via OSV·06:15 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:15 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Oct 10, 2019
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·11:12 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Aug 1, 2020
Advisory Published
via OSV·12:00 AM
Aug 3, 2020
Data Sourced
via Android·12:00 AM
SeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Peer vulnerabilities

Found alongside the following vulnerabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2019-16746?

CVE-2019-16746 has a medium severity rating due to potential denial of service and data integrity issues.

2

How do I fix CVE-2019-16746?

To fix CVE-2019-16746, update your Linux kernel to a recommended version as specified in the vendor's patch.

3

Which Linux distributions are affected by CVE-2019-16746?

CVE-2019-16746 affects various Linux distributions, including Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora, particularly those using vulnerable Linux kernel versions.

4

Is CVE-2019-16746 being exploited in the wild?

As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of CVE-2019-16746 being actively exploited in the wild.

5

What are the potential impacts of CVE-2019-16746?

The impacts of CVE-2019-16746 can include system crashes, denial of service, and potential security breaches affecting data confidentiality.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203